“Roll and Retell” Comprehension Lesson Plan: ​Squids will be Squids

Grade level: ​4th Grade

Materials: ​Five copies of ​Squids will be Squids​ by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith, five
dice, five writing utensils, five copies of the worksheets and five clipboards.
Duration:​ 55 minutes
Location: ​In the classroom then outside on the blacktop

Objective: ​By the end of this lesson the students will be able to retell detailed events
from within selected chapters of the book​ ​Squids will be Squids.

Direct Explanation of the Strategy Being Taught: ​Retelling - ​Through a game called
“Roll and Retell” and the associated homework, students will be​ ​summarizing, synthesizing,
rethinking, and reviewing their assigned chapter within the book: ​Squids will be Squids.​ This
retell comprehension​ ​strategy was adapted from​ (​ Owocki, 2003).

Modeling in the classroom: ​I will begin by reading​ ​the example chapter (Chapter1:
Grasshopper Logic) from within the book ​Squids will be Squids​. I will then draw a six by
two elongated grid on the white board or smart board like the one below. I will then roll
the die under the desk camera so the class can see, call out the number verbally, and
fill in the corresponding box on the white board or smart board.​(I rolled a 2, 5, and 6)
Answer:
What is the story mostly about?

Answer: The young Grasshopper and his

Mother.
Who are the Main Characters?

Answer:
Where does the story take place?

Answer:
What happened at the beginning?

Answer: Young grasshopper lied to his

What happened in the middle? mother about the amount of homework he
had and left to play with his friends.

Answer: “There are plenty of things to say

What happened at the end? Or to calm a hopping mad grasshopper mom.
what was the moral of the story? ‘I don’t know?’ Is not one of them.”
Guided Practice: ​Students will be instructed to count off 1-4 within the classroom. Then
we will head outside and move to assigned group areas (Spaced out along the four
square blacktop). Each group will receive a die, a worksheet, a clipboard, and a writing
utensil. Then, I will have the students play the Roll and Retell Dice game.

Group Members​: .

Roll and Retell

The rules are simple. Read your assigned chapter aloud within your group. Then
take turns rolling the dice clockwise. Each student will go at least once (2 students will
have to roll twice), talk to the group about your answer, and write down your name and
the answer to the question.
Name:
What is the story mostly about? Answer:

Name:
Answer:
Who are the Main Characters?

Name:
Where does the story take place? Answer:

Name:
What happened at the beginning? Answer:

Name:
What happened in the middle? Answer:

Name:
What happened at the end? Or Answer:
what was the moral of the story?
Application: ​Students will use their comprehension skills to fill out the following
worksheet at home. If any student does not have access to the internet, they can sign
out a copy of the book from the classroom library.

Name:​ .
Squids Will Be Squids: ​Homework
​ ot covered during class, to write about.
Choose a chapter from ​Squids will be squids, n
Go to the following URL unless you are using a copy of the book:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oME_qsIJ-F​I

What is the story mostly about? Answer:

Who are the Main Characters? Answer:

Where does the story take place? Answer:

What happened at the beginning? Answer:

What happened in the middle? Answer:

What happened at the end? Or Answer:

what was the moral of the story?
How will you multilevel the lesson:

Kinesthetic learners: “Roll and Retell Game”

Visual learners: The books for the groups and the worksheets

Auditory learners: Directions will be addressed Verbally (they could also give verbal
responses to the scribe, teacher, or teachers aid if needed)

ELL / Cognitive Disorder/ Auditory Learner Support: Book Read Aloud on Youtube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oME_qsIJ-F​I
(these students may also benefit by giving verbal responses to the scribe, teacher, or
teachers aid)

Assessment:
Collection of the group game worksheet at the end of the class period. Homework will
be collected the next day for evaluation.

(Blank Assessment Example and Graded Example on the next two pages)
Name:​ BLANK ASSESSMENT EXAMPLE .
Squids Will Be Squids: ​Homework
Choose a chapter from ​Squids will be squids, ​not covered during class, to write about.
Go to the following URL if you do not have the book:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oME_qsIJ-F​I
(2pts. For full credit / 1pt. For half credit/ 0pts. No Credit/ 12pts. Possible)
What is the story mostly about? Answer:

Teacher remarks:
Pts. ​ .

Who are the Main Characters? Answer:

Teacher remarks:
Pts. ​ .

Where does the story take place? Answer:

Teacher remarks:
Pts. ​ .

What happened at the beginning? Answer:

Teacher remarks:
Pts. ​ .

What happened in the middle? Answer:

Teacher remarks:
Pts. ​ .

What happened at the end? Or Answer:

what was the moral of the story?

Teacher remarks:
Pts. ​ .​ ​Total Pts.​ .
Name:​ GRADED EXAMPLE .
​ omework
Squids Will Be Squids: H
Choose a chapter from ​Squids will be squids, n ​ ot covered during class, to write about.
Go to the following URL if you do not have the book:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oME_qsIJ-F​I
(2pts. For full credit / 1pt. For half credit/ 0pts. No Credit/ 12pts. Possible)
What is the story mostly about? Answer: Some Grasshoppers

Teacher remarks:How many? How would you

describe them? What happened to them? What
was the message in the story?
Pts. ​ 1 .

Who are the Main Characters? Answer:

Teacher remarks: No response, no credit.

Pts. ​ 0 .
😕
Where does the story take place? Answer: Inside of their house, but then the young
grasshopper left and came back.

Teacher remarks: Excellent Job!

Pts. ​ 2 .
🙂👍
What happened at the beginning? Answer: The grasshopper was talking to his
mom.

Teacher remarks:What was he talking to his

mom about?
Pts. ​ 1 .

What happened in the middle? Answer: He didn't do his homework.

Teacher remarks: Why not? What was he doing

instead of his homework?
Pts. ​ 1 .

What happened at the end? Or Answer: His mom yelled at him.

what was the moral of the story?
Teacher remarks: Did the book say his mom
yelled at him? or were there hints that she was
not happy with the young grasshopper?
Pts. ​ 1 .​ ​Total Pts.​ 6/12